After a career-best regular season with the Carolina Hurricanes, star winger Nikolaj Ehlers is helping the Canes get toward a Stanley Cup final appearance. Is Ehlers doing his part for Carolina's Cup chances?
When he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, left winger Nikolaj Ehlers had major expectations. In eight of 10 years starring for the Winnipeg Jets, Ehlers posted at least 21 goals, so he earned the six-year, $8.5 million per season contract the Hurricanes gave him.
In his first regular season with the Canes, Ehlers set new career-highs in assists (45) and points (71). In short, the 30-year-old was delivering exactly what Carolina GM Eric Tulsky wanted out of him.
However, the Hurricanes needed Ehlers to step up in the Stanley Cup playoffs – and that’s exactly what he did in Game 2 of Carolina’s Eastern Conference final series against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night.
Ehlers scored two goals on five shots against the Habs – including the overtime game-winner – giving him four goals and six points in nine playoff games this year.
“Saw it,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Ehlers' goals. “It’s exactly what we talked about many times this year: he’s a special talent and it was on full display tonight.”
On both goals, Ehlers demonstrated why the Hurricanes paid top dollar for him. To give the Canes the lead in the second period, Ehlers danced between Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield. In overtime, Ehlers picked up the puck with speed and rifled a shot past Jakub Dobes.
If Ehlers produces two more playoff goals and/or two more playoff points, he’s going to set new career marks in those departments. More importantly, he’s going to help Carolina beat Montreal and advance to the Cup final against the Colorado Avalanche or Vegas Golden Knights. And Ehlers is now getting his best chance to win the first championship of his career.
Ehlers is the Hurricanes’ second-highest-paid player, so had he failed to produce timely offense, critics would’ve come out of the woodwork to question his signing. But if he can provide more of the offensive performances he’s been providing, the Hurricanes become even more dangerous against the rest of the field.
That said, the rest of Carolina’s lineup also must come through with more offensive contributions. Ehlers is doing his part, but star forwards Seth Jarvis (two goals, five points) and Sebastian Aho (three goals, five points) must produce more.
Veteran winger Taylor Hall (nine assists, 12 points) and youngsters Jackson Blake (four goals, 11 points) and Logan Stankoven (seven goals, eight points) have generated great amounts of offense, but to beat a swift Canadiens team, the Hurricanes will need Ehlers to continue to thrive.
Ehlers had a strong 2026 Olympic Games, putting up a pair of assists and three points in Denmark’s four games. But he’s being handsomely compensated to help push this Canes team to a new level, and if Carolina is to get past the Habs, Ehlers must play a significant role.
Ehlers is being paid like a difference-maker, so it’s now on him to make a difference. And the good news for Hurricanes fans is Ehlers is looking up to the challenge.
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